神:...你們對這樣的經濟體制的骯髒視而不見,稱這是你們的「自由市場經濟」,並且對每人說你們多麼為之驕傲!
尼爾:我很少看過你這麼氣憤。神是不會氣憤的。這證明你不是神...
以上是此篇的對話摘錄。你認為神會怎麼回答? 神不會有生氣的時候嗎? 歡迎參閱:
正視【多數人視而不見並為之驕傲的「經濟體系」】
你們星球上的資源——包括那些一再被有系統地剝削的赤貧大眾的勞動成果——是屬於全世界所有人的,而非僅屬於有足夠財勢行使剝削的那些人...
每個鐘頭給人們七毛五分美元的薪資,製造出的鞋子可以賣一雙一百二十五美元,這冒什麼風險呢?
這是風險,還是純粹的剝削?
這樣的一種腐臭不堪的制度,只有在一個「以貪婪為動機、最主要的考慮不是人性尊嚴而是利潤」的世界,才可能存在。。
那些說「相對於他們的社會標準而言,這些農民的生活已經好得不得了」的人們,是一流的偽君子(hypocrites of the first order)。他們會把繩子丟給快要淹死的人,卻拒絕把他拉上岸。然後還大言不慚地說:丟繩子總比丟石頭好。
這些有錢人不是要把人們提升到真正尊嚴的地步,而只是讓那些沒錢人依賴他們,以使他們更有真正的錢勢。因為,真正有經濟能力的人會衝擊而不只是屈從於他們所設的「體制」。而這體制的設立者最最不想看到的,就是對體制的衝擊!
所以,陰謀就這樣持續著。而就大部分有錢有勢的人來說,這並不是一種行為上的陰謀,而是一種靜默的陰謀(conspiracy of silence)。
所以,繼續吧,以你們的方式走你們的路,而絕口不提「可獎賞一個銷售業績成長執行經理七千萬美元的一家飲料公司,卻讓七千萬人買不起這種奢華飲料——更別說連維持健康的食物都吃不到」這樣的一種骯髒的社會經濟體制。
對這經濟體制的骯髒視而不見,而稱這為世界的「自由市場經濟」,並對每人說你們多麼為之驕傲!
尼爾:我很少看過你這麼氣憤。神是不會氣憤的(become indignant)。這證明你不是神。
神是一切,神成為一切(God is everything, and God becomes everything.)。
沒有任何「神所不是」的東西,而神對祂自己所體驗的一切,都是在你們之內、以你們之身,並藉由你們而體驗的(There is nothing which God is not, and all that God is experiencing of Itself, God is experiencing in, as, and through you.)。而你所感受到的氣憤,是你的氣憤。(哈!那到底有沒有所謂的「神之怒」?你認為是誰在生氣?)
摘自《與神對話 II》第18 & 19章
The resources of your planet—including the fruits of the labors of the masses of the indescribably poor who are continually and systematically exploited—belong to all the world's people, not just those who are rich and powerful enough to do the exploiting.
Yet how much risk is there in paying people 75 cents an hour to manufacture sneakers which are going to sell for $125 a pair?
Is this risk-taking or exploitation, pure and simple?
Such a system of rank obscenity could exist only in a world motivated by greed, where profit margin, not human dignity, is the first consideration.
Those who say that "relative to the standards in their society, those peasants are doing wonderfully!" are hypocrites of the first order. They would throw a drowning man a rope, but refuse to pull him to shore. Then they would brag that a rope is better than a rock.
Rather than raising the people to true dignity, these "haves" give the world's "have-nots" just enough to make them dependent—but not enough to ever make them truly powerful. For people of true economic power have the ability to then impact, and not merely be subject to, "the system." And that's the last thing the creators of the system want!
So the conspiracy continues. And for most of the rich and powerful it is not a conspiracy of action, but a conspiracy of silence.
So go now—go your way—and by all means say nothing about the obscenity of a socioeconomic system which rewards a corporate executive with a 70-million-dollar bonus for increasing sales of a soft drink, while 70 million people can't afford the luxury of drinking the stuff—much less eating enough to stay healthy.
Don't see the obscenity of it. Call this the world's Free Market Economy, and tell everyone how proud you are of it. Yet it is written:
If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. But when the young man heard this, he went away, sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Neale: I've rarely seen You so indignant. God doesn't become indignant. This proves You are not God.
God is everything, and God becomes everything.
There is nothing which God is not, and all that God is experiencing of Itself, God is experiencing in, as, and through you. It is your indignation which you are feeling.